Folding awning frame



F. R. CLIFTON FOLDING AWNING FRAME v Jan. 7, 1930.

2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Feb. 24, 1928 3 m EH; Clifton attozmg Jan. 7, 1930. F. R. CLIFTON FOLDING AWNING FRAME Filed Feb. 24, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet awe/144301; F.R.Clift0n M4.

1 of varyin Patented Jan. 7, 1930 FRANCIS R. CLIFTON, OF OMAHA, I\TEBRASKA FOLDING nvvivme FRAME Application filed February 24, 1928. Serial No. 256,706.,

The present invention relates to improve ments in folding awning frames, and has for an object to provide an improved folding arm support for awningsin' which the arms may i 5 be longitudinally adjusted forincreasing or decreasing the expanse of the awning. Another object of theinvention is to provide, in conjunction with a number of the arm supports, associated scales whereby an 1 accurate and uniform adjustment may be had with respect to all of the folding arm supports, to the end that thearm supports together with the awning may be readily folded, without binding and without interference from one another.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved awning support which is adapted to be extended for longitudinal and transverse adjustment of fabric awnings.

A still further object of the invention is to provide an improved awning support Which will admit of adjustment after installation without requiring the taking down of the entire awning.

A still further object of the invention is to provide an improved device of the character indicated, which will involve a construction obviating the necessity of an awning dealer carrying in stock a large assortment of arms or length.

A still further object of the invention is to provide an awning support of few parts, simply constructed and associated, and compactly arrangedfor easy and quick adjust- 35 ment and for ready manipulation in opening and closing the awning. v

With the foregoing and other objects in view, the invention will be more full-yydescribed hereinafter, and will be more particu- 40 larly pointed out in the claims appended hereto. In the drawings, wherein like symbols refer to like or corresponding parts throughout the several views,

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a row of store fronts, a sidewalk, curb line, and showing a section of the improved awning. and its supports attached to the front wall of said store buildings.

Figure 2 is a top 50 plan view of one ofthe at 14. The outer improved arm members of the device shown in an extended positio Figure 3 is a similar view of the parts in folded position.

Figure 4: is a transverse sectional view taken on an enlarged scale on the line M in Figure 5, and v Figure 5 is an enlarged fragmentary side view of two cooperating arm sections and showing the scaleadjustment.

Referring more particularly to the drawings designates a row of stores or other buildings facing on the sidewalk 11 having the curb 12. if

The canvas or other awning fabric is represented at 13 and its pendant outer free edge portion of the awning fabric is hung or draped over a rod or. pole 15 extending substantially parallel with the curb llne 12; while the inner portion of the awning fabric 13 is wound about a roller 16 rot-atably carried by brackets 17 secured to the building front 18.

The invention is more particularly concerned Withthe adjustable arm supports for holding the rod or pole 15 and these arm supports are carried by brackets 19 secured as by screws or other fastenings 20 to the store front 18 above the show windows 10, or at an appropriate location beneath the roller 16. The brackets 19 are provided, with the laterally extending lugs or ears 21 for receiving the pivot pin 22 by which the arm supports arefoldably supported. These arm supports may comprise a suitable number'of sections; to illustrate, the four sections 23, 24, and

26 appearing in Figures 1, 2 and 3. The sec tions 23 and 25 may be alike and the sections 24 and 26 are also alike.

The outermost section 26 carries a fittihg 27 secured thereto as by bolts, rivets or other fastenings 28. The fitting in turnsupports a ring or collar 29 by means of the pivot pin or rivet 30 which enables the ring 29 and fitting 27 to have relative angular movements. The ring 29 is arranged to encircle the pole or rod 15 and to supportthe same.

The arm section 2 1 is provided with laterally projecting lugs or ears 31 near one end for the purpose of receiving the pivot pin 32 whereby the arm section 25 is hingedly secured to the section 24. This arm section 24 is further provided with an extension piece 33 having at its free end an offset lug 34 extending toward the arm section 25 for the purpose of restricting the angular movement of the arm sections about the pivot pin 32 and preventing such arm sections from extending in longitudinal alinement which would create a dead center.

The complemental arm sections 25 and 26 are adjustable through the medium of bolts 35 and 36 having the wing or other nuts 37 and 38 thereon.

The complemental arm sections 23 and 24 are subject to similar adjustment through the adjustable bolts 39 and 40. As the adjustment is the same in both cases the construction will only be described with reference to the two arm sections 25 and 26 which are more particularly illustrated in Figures 4 and 5. As shown in Figure 4 the arm sections 25 and 23 are of channel form having the flanges 41 and the internal channel 42 open at one side and slidably receiving the companion arm section 26 which is confined on three sides by the channel arm member 25 and is held from escape on the other side by the bolt 35 and its wing nut 37 The bolt 35 extends through a perforation 43 in the member 25 near its free end. The bolt also extends through a slot 44 in the companion arm member 26. This slot is more particularly shown in Figure 5; in which is also shown to better advantage the scale 45, inscribed upon the arm member 26 and co-operating with the end portion 46 of the companion member 25. In this Figure 5 the bolt 47 is shown as engaging in a slot 48 inthe arm member 25 and through a perfora tion 49 in the arm member 26.

In operation, the normal position of, each supporting arm, when extended, is shown in Figure 2, while its folded position, when the awning is not in use, is shown in Figure 3. As shown in Figure 3, it will be noted that the pivots 22 and 30'are in alinement; in other words they extend in a line which intercepts the building front 18 at a substantial right angle. It is desirable that the brackets always be adjusted accurately so that such true alinement may always be secured and maintained. It will be understood that, if the member 26 is extended further from themember 25 then the member 24 is extended from its companion member 23, the pivots 22 and 30 Would be shifted out ofalinement. Unless all of the arms which support the awning are similarly adjusted, binding. would occur when attemptwas madeto-collapsethe awning and bring the pole 15 close up against the building. In order to secure uniformity of adjustment between the several arms, the scale, referred to in Figure 5, is provided. When the nut 37 is loosened, the end 46 of the one member may be adjusted relatively to the scale 45 of the other member and this procedure may be followed in all of the awning supporting arms. In practice the arm supports are usually placed about ten feet apart. The device may be adjusted to aline with the curb 12.

When rolled up the point as near the pole 15 is more exposed to the weather and rots rapidly. The operator may cut off the rotton portion and shorten the arms. In doing so the scale insures accuracy.

I do not wish to be restricted to the size, form, and proportions of the various parts, and obviously changes could be made in the construction herein described without departing .from the spirit of the invention, it being only necessary that such changes fall within the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is 1. An awning supportcomprising-a pivotally mounted arm hinged intermediate its ends for folding and having longitudinally adjustable sections at opposite sides of the hinge joint, each of said adjustable sections comprising two main portions adjustably slidable one on the other to independently adjust said sections at opposite sides of the hinge joint.

2. An awning support comprising a pivotally mounted arm hinged intermediate its ends for folding and having longitudinally adjustable sections one at each side of the hinge, one of said sections having an extension piece with a lug extending laterally therefrom for encountering the other hinged section to prevent the sections from swinging into longitudinal alinement and a dead center.

3. In an awning of the type for application to the wall of a building and having a pole at its outer edge for movement in parallel relation against the wall when the awning is closed, a plurality of supporting arms pivotally connected to the wall at their innor ends and pivotally connected to the pole at their outer ends, a hinge disposed intermediate the ends of each arm, and independent longitudinal adjusting means for the inner and outer portions of each arm and at opposite sides of the hinge, whereby said arms may be varied in length and said parts thereof be adjusted uniformly to maintain the pole inparallel relation to the wall at all times.

4. An awning support comprising a. pivotally mounted arm having two units, each unit made up of two slotted sections, one of said sections being of channel form, a bolt carried fixedly by each section and sliding in the slot of the companion section, a scale inscribed upon one of the sections and cooperating with an end portion of the other section to indicate the degree of the adjustment,

and-a hinge connection between adjacent sections of the units.

5. Anawmng for mounting .on a building, 

